


Drowned

by Misanagi



Category: Gundam Wing
Genre: Angst, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2006-12-20
Updated: 2006-12-20
Packaged: 2017-10-12 04:29:54
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,120
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/120797
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Misanagi/pseuds/Misanagi
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>There would always be more paperwork than he could handle, more shareholders to appease and more headaches and burning eyes.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Drowned

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Alleyprowler](https://archiveofourown.org/gifts?recipient=Alleyprowler).



> Thanks to Anne for the beta.

Quatre sighed and glared at the many large piles of paperwork on his desk. This was why he didn't get sick. While he could handle the backlog when he left for a mission for Preventers, if he was unlucky enough to get injured and require some down time, when he got back his office was swamped with documents that urgently needed his signature and approval.

His friends had tried to keep him in the hospital for a couple more days but the simple thought of how much work he would have to catch up with horrified him enough to threaten to sue the clinic if they didn't release him immediately. After all, this wasn't the first time he had gotten shot and he didn't need to stay overnight for observation. He already knew how to care properly for his wound.

Rubbing his eyes to chase the tiredness and sleepiness away, Quatre focused on the merger proposal he was reviewing. There were so many mistakes already that he was tempted to send the thing back and have it redrafted, and he would have done it if he thought the result would be any better. At the end he would still have to correct it himself.

Maybe he would be less bitter if it wasn't almost three in the morning and his arm hadn't started to hurt again. The pain meant that the meds were burning out of his system and hopefully that would mean he wouldn't feel as tired. He already knew he wasn't going home tonight; a few minutes on the couch later would have to do.

He finished two more reports before his eyes started getting blurry. He had seen a doctor about that a few weeks ago and he had assured that his vision was perfect and the blurriness was nothing but tiredness. Quatre reached into his pocket and retrieved a small bottle of eyes drops. They helped a little.

Three improvement proposals later Quatre let his pen drop on the table and closed his eyes tightly. They were watering and it stung. He was also getting a headache and the throbbing in his arm was becoming impossible to ignore. For a fleeting moment he thought of going home, finishing this tomorrow after the morning mission briefing at Preventers but then he remembered that he had a meeting with shareholders on the afternoon and the L2 and L3 divisions reports were scheduled to come at five and he would have to review those too.. He couldn't stop, he couldn't even afford to close his eyes this few minutes.

The pen slammed on the wall and broke in two pieces. Quatre growled and let his head fall on top of the folders on his desk. "I give up," he said softly and then threw the desk lamp towards the same wall as the pen. "I give up!"

What was the point? There would always be more paperwork than he could handle, more shareholders to appease and more headaches and burning eyes. He could always stop working for Preventers, even if it meant seeing his friends less and growing even more restless than he was. More paperwork would be done that way. He could install a shower in his office bathroom and bring all his clothes. That way he wouldn't waste time going home and back. He didn't spend much time there anyway.

He could cut the Tuesday night beers with his friends and tell Duo he couldn't go to the movies Sunday evenings anymore. No more Monday lunches with Wufei or Wednesday music jam sessions with Trowa. Heero could always convince someone else to watch Space Survivor, L3754 with him; Duo might enjoy it.

Then the paperwork would get done and he'd be able to sleep more than two hours a day. The shareholders wouldn't get angry when he couldn't be reached and he would be able to go to all those conferences his sisters insisted he went to.

And then he would turn into his father.

The phone rang. Quatre looked at it for a while. It was his direct line and not many people had that number. He connected the call and found Heero, looking slightly sleepy and frowning. "You look like shit," he said.

Quatre tried to smile but lips wouldn't turn upwards. "Just tired."

"Don't lie. I know something's wrong." Heero always did.

"Did I wake you?" Quatre didn't exactly understand how it worked but no matter where Heero was or if he was asleep or awake, he always knew when Quatre needed help. The same was true for Quatre.

"It doesn't matter. What's wrong?" The sleepy look was slowly leaving Heero's eyes which allowed Quatre to see that be behind the frown, he was worried.

"I saw the future." Quatre sighed.

There was a pause and then Heero said, "You shouldn't still be working."

Quatre let out a bitter laugh. "It's my destiny."

"Self pity doesn't suit you, Quatre." Heero glared.

"I need to go," Quatre said and disconnected the call. There was paperwork to be done.

It was more difficult to read without the desk lamp. Quatre made a mental note to get another one in the morning and took out the eye drops again. He was feeling guilty about hanging up on Heero like that but he couldn't afford to have this conversation now, not when there was so much to be done.

Two expense reports later the door of his office slammed open. Heero was definitely awake now and he wasn't happy. He looked around the office, raising an eyebrow at the mess on the floor by the wall. "This isn't healthy."

Quatre wanted to laugh but he just slumped on his chair and closed his eyes. Damn they burned!

There was a hand on his shoulder and then he was being helped up his chair. He let Heero guide him out of the office, all the while keeping his eyes closed. He got in the car and didn't question where he was being taken. He might have fallen asleep because the next time he opened his eyes he was lying on a bed with Heero beside him.

He could have reviewed at least five reports by now.

"Sleep," Heero said, his eyes closed.

"But there's work—"

Heero's fingers rested over Quatre's lips. "Not now."

Quatre could see in his mind the pile of folders growing higher every minute he lay here. They would never stop growing and Quatre would never be good enough to be able to handle them. Never. "I give up," he said again, closing his eyes.

This time a small smile did appear on his face. He would never be his father; his friends wouldn't let him.


End file.
